This invention relates generally to sliding window assemblies. More particularly, the present invention relates to a process for preventing an accumulation of debris in a window track.
Following the completion of construction of a new home, it is a common practice that the contractor have the home thoroughly cleaned prior to the final walk-through by the new home buyer. This is also a common practice in the construction of new offices and in the remodeling of existing homes and offices. With respect to new homes, a crew of eight to ten people is typically employed to clean the home of construction debris, and may often spend three days or more cleaning a single house.
Some of the toughest and most time consuming areas to clean are the window tracks. An average house may have twenty windows or more, all of which are usually installed before the drywall is taped, the ceiling sprayed, the walls painted, etc. Construction debris such as sawdust, stucco, plaster, dirt, mud, paint and nails, tends to get into the window track. To clean the window track thoroughly of these materials, scrapers, steel wool and other implements must often be used.
In recognition of the problem associated with cleaning window tracks of construction debris, some window manufacturers have shipped windows to the construction site with a styrofoam plug placed within and generally filling the exposed portion of the window track. The primary drawback with this arrangement, however, is that as soon as a construction worker opens the window for ventilation, the styrofoam is broken and discarded. Hard plastic covers have also been placed over the window track to minimize the collection of debris, but, like the styrofoam plug, such rigid covers must be removed from the track in order to open the window. During construction the rigid covers tend to be discarded and never replaced.
Accordingly, there has been a need for a novel window assembly and a process capable of eliminating or greatly minimizing the amount of cleaning of window tracks required on completion of construction. Such an apparatus and process must be inexpensive, lend itself to use with existing sliding windows, remain in place without interfering with movement of a sliding window, and reliably prevent the accumulation of debris in the window track. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.